Sri Lanka recorded 114 shooting incidents in 2025, resulting in 60 deaths and 57 injuries, according to the Police.
Police Spokesperson ASP F.U. Wootler said the Police had undertaken a concerted effort to dismantle organised criminal networks linked to gun violence, with a particular focus on high-level drug traffickers.
“Our primary objective has been to apprehend large-scale organised criminals,” he said, noting that in 2025 alone, 21 notorious gang leaders wanted under Interpol Red Notices had been repatriated and produced before court.
He added that a further 95 Red Notices had been issued and that extradition processes were ongoing.
“The Police is committed to ensuring that all these individuals are brought before the courts within 2026,” Wootler said, adding that operations were being carried out with the support of the armed forces, Civil Security Department, and other institutions.
A comparison with previous years shows that gun violence has remained consistently high. In 2024, Sri Lanka recorded 103 targeted shooting incidents, with 56 linked to organised crime. Those incidents resulted in 61 deaths and 47 injuries. In addition, 47 isolated shootings were reported, including family disputes, with 25 classified as domestic shootings.
In 2023, Police recorded 120 organised shooting incidents, leading to 54 deaths and 65 injuries, along with a further 23 isolated shooting incidents. While the number of organised shootings has declined since 2023, the death toll has remained broadly similar across the three years.
Wootler said there was a clear correlation between arrests of key gang figures and shooting trends. “In 2024 and the first half of 2025, we observed a high number of shootings. However, after the repatriation and arrest of the main gangsters, we have seen a reduction in these numbers,” he said.
He identified the continued circulation of illegal firearms as a major challenge. “Sri Lanka had a 30-year war. Weapons were dispersed across the north, east, and south, and these firearms are still in circulation,” he said.
Despite this, Police seizures have increased. According to Wootler, more than 2,276 illegal weapons, including T-56 rifles, revolvers, and pistols, were seized in 2025 alone.
Responding to questions on political links, Wootler said no direct political connections had been identified in current cases. “At present, there is no political influence or intimidation. The Sri Lanka Police is operating with full freedom and independence,” he said, while acknowledging that political safeguarding may have existed in the past.